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Created: 22 October 2016

A Journalist from the local newspaper is coming to interview me today. He has heard that an immigrant is volunteering as a Yoga teacher at the local Sport Union (SU) and is curious to know more. I'm just about finishing making Masala Chai & Besan Cheelas for breakfast when the doorbell rings. I show him how to eat the Cheela with the Chutney. He takes a sip of the Chai - He enjoys it very much and says he would've skipped breakfast had he known he'd get to eat Indian goodies 

Over breakfast, we talk in German about my move to Beckenried from US last year, my childhood in India, my work in US, my experiences here in learning the language, local culture/traditions and of course my views on Integration et al...

After a bit, he takes out his cell and asks if it's ok to record our conversation. Perhaps my half baked German makes it difficult for him... Before we know it, it's been almost an hour and a half. He takes out a camera and asks if he can take a picture. A bit surprised though, I say Yes. We step out in the balcony and he takes a picture against a backdrop of a foggy sky and lake.

As he walks out of the door, he says he will let me know when the article gets published.. I sit down and wonder how the article will turn out. I'm reminded of the last time I was interviewed by a Journalist ... Summer - 2006 in Nova Scotia, Canada. I was volunteering as a Yoga teacher at the local Senior Center there.

Each time i volunteer as a Yoga teacher, a Journalist shows up... Quite a coincidence -- one might say!

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Created: 10 October 2016

Falling leaves, cozy scarves, the warm smell of nutmeg and cinnamon. But Fall just wouldn't be complete without Fresh Apple Cider or Apfelmost or Süssmost as it's called in this part of the world.

Of course, apples don’t just press themselves. Real cider making is time consuming and makes for a pretty good exercise! I had been wanting to do it the old fashioned way, so when Thomas called us on Friday night to ask if we would have a couple of hours next morning to help him make Apple Cider, since he has hurt his back, I was thrilled!

It's a cool foggy morning as we make our way to Thomas's hobby farm. Thomas hands us baskets as he greets us. We walk to his apple trees and start collecting apples and sorting into 3 baskets: for Juicing; Animal-feed and the real rotten ones for compost. As we bring filled baskets back, Thomas empties them into big bins and gives them a good wash with a pressure hose. While Theres (Thomas's wife) and I go back into his farm to collect walnuts, Lukas assembles the heavy slicing machine and gets it roaring. Soon we have huge bins of finely sliced apple. It's smelling divine already...  Lukas and Thomas transfer these a batch at a time into the press.

Thomas has an old-fashioned wooden barrel press, lined with a burlap sack. Once the press is loaded, it's my turn to do some hard work. I walk around in circles, pushing - applying pressure slowly, building it up over a few minutes. It's quite easy initially to extract the juice. It just flows out.. but after a while i have to really put in all my effort to turn the press. Nevertheless, it's always a good time to Smile especially if someone is taking your picture..

Read more: Hard Pressed – making fresh Apple Cider, the old fashioned way - Oct 8

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Created: 06 October 2016

Calm waters of the lake, a gentle breeze and warm Sunshine... we decide to drop anchor in a serene oasis alongside Ennetbürgen coastline. We take-down the Sails to lay low for a while.. But before we can bliss out, gives something to do -- Drop anchor. Luckily not my task . After the third attempt, the anchor holds! Whew!!! Now we can chill-out on Dolfin.

Music (Boccelli), Tea, Cookies, Dried Apples, Snoozing, Watching a canoer pull alongside the coast and collect some hazelnuts, waving to boats sailing by, gentle breeze, lazing = more sleep, being rudely awakened by a motor boat roaring by.. Perhaps a good time for a couple of pics.. I even manage a smiling Selfie 

As the hours slowly flow by, the warm day rolls into a cool Herbst (Autumn) evening. It's time to bid adieu to our tranquil haven and head home, but first gotta pull the Anchor, unfurl the Sails.... Really????? Luckily, we catch wind in the sails and sail away home with the Indian flag fluttering by.

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Created: 30 September 2016

As i make my way up to Turnhalle Allmend carrying my Yoga-mat, I'm a li'l apprehensive. It's the first time I'm teaching Yoga in German. What if words suddenly fail me? Most women know nothing about Yoga, so i may have to do a lot of talking. Lukas had  generously offered to be my student at home, so i already had a couple of practice sessions.. Yet.. I'm nervous. Perhaps i feel I'm representing India and i don't want to let my country down in front of the women of this village. I try to shrug the weight off my shoulders with deep stomach breathing. Good, i must practice what i preach!

Heidi (the President of SU) meets me at the door and shows me around. The different keys for the main door, the Hall, the cupboards, the files etc. I lay out the mats for the women.. and then roll out my own & sit down. The women start to trickle in. Since today is with the 55+ age group, I'm expecting ~5 or so. And they keep coming.. soon there's 19 of them. Oh my... need to speak louder. Not a problem in English, but in German, I'll find out soon...

Read more: The Volunteer Yoga Teacher: Sep 28